Edwin m



(No Model.)

B. M.-BUIRT. Gate.

No. 230,609. Patented Aug. 3, 188-0.

Fig.1.

NJEI'ERS. PMOTO-UTKOGHAPNER, WASNINGTQN, D C.

Fries.

PATENT EDWIN M. BURT, OF HARVARD, ILLINOIS.

GATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 230,609, dated August3, 1880.

Application filed May 17, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that LEDWIN M. BURT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Harvard, in the county of McHenry and State of Illinois,have invented a new and Improved Gate; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which willenable others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains tomake and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,forming part of this specification, wherem--- Figure 1 is a frontelevation of the gate, showing my improvements. Fig. 2 is a'similarview, showing the end of the gate raised. Fig. 3 is a perspective viewof the clamp by which the swinging end of the gate is adjustedvertically; and Fig. 4 is a plan view of the gate at the hinged end,showing the saddle for the guide-rods.

Similar letters of reference denote the same parts in the severalfigures of the drawings.

My invention has for its object to improve the operation of farm-gates,by which they can be swung clear of snow and other obstruc tions, theirswinging or latch end adjusted to compensate for the sagging of the postor the gate itself, and which can be so operated as to separatestockthat is to say, to permit the passage of sheep and other smallanimals and prevent the passage of cattle and horses.

To this end the invention consists in forming the gate with flexiblejoints, and combining with it a clamp guided from the top hinge orhinged end of the gate, to move vertically on the swinging end and holdit at ahy desired elevation. I

In the accompanying drawings, A represents the gate hinged to thecenter-of a post, B,'to swing against or past a post, 0, in bothdirections, and constructed in the usual manner of farm-gates, exceptingthatits joints are made flexible by pivot-bolts d, or othersuitablcdevices. Thisconstructionallowsthefront or swinging end of thegate to be moved freely up and down within certain limits withoutaffecting its movement on the hinges.-

E is the clamp, made of wood or metal, to partly embrace the verticalbars F at the latch end of the gate in such a manner as to slideeffectually hold the gate at the desired point,

freely up and down. It is connected with the upper hinge on each side ofthe gate by means of rods or wires G G, the connections being madeflexible in any manner to let the clamp rise and fall when necessary. Asshown in the drawings, the rods are jointed about mid way of theirlength and attached to cars projecting from opposite sides of the clamp;but this construction may, of course, be varied without departing fromthe invention.

When the latch end of the gate is raised, which may be readily done byhand, the clamp drops down upon the bars F until arrested by the guideor stop rods, which cause it to bind against the bars, and thus hold upthe end of 6 the gate, as shown in Fig.2. In this position it forms aneffectual barrier against the passage of large animals, while smallanimals can easily pass under it. Thus it affords a convenient means forseparating stock.

To lower the end of the gate the clamp is lifted slightly, when the gatefalls through it the required distance by gravity. The adj ustability ofthe clamp also permits the gate to be raised and swung over snow andother obstructions, and then swing back again to its place, and alsoadapts the gate to be held at any desired height to compensate forsagging.

As the gate can be raised a considerable distance above a centralhorizontal line, it is evident that it can also fall as far below suchline when the clamp is lifted. Therefore it can be let down to theground at any point upon either side of the post to prevent the windfrom swinging it, to break the slats, strain the hinges, or otherwiseinjure the gate.

H is a saddle attached to the upright of the gate at the upper hinge toprevent the guiderods from wearing into the upright, and also to affordmeans for fastening the wires, which in this case is effected by passingthem through an eye, K, on the saddle, as shown in Fig. 4.

The clamp E may be corrugated or otherwise roughened on its innersurface to more although this is not absolutely necessary.

The gatelatch may be arranged in any convenient way, and may workthrough, over, or under the clamp; or the latter may be made in twoparts, if preferred, and instead'of guide 1oo rods or wires, ropes, orcords may be used for and the guide-rods, substantially as described,holding the clamp. for the purpose specified.

Having thus described my invention, what In testimony of which inventionI have here- I claim isunto set my hand this 20th day of April, A.

1. The combination, with the flexible-jointed D. 1880. farm-gate, of thevertically-adjustable clamp, and its guide-rods, substantially asdescribed, for the purpose specified. Witnesses:

2. The saddle H, connected to the rear up- 0. E. HUNT, right of thegate, and combined with the clamp, R. COVENTRY.

EDWIN M. BURT.

